Here's what Gray Davis had to say when he unveiled the $12.3 billion 2000 budget surplus: "I intend to resist the siren song of permanent spending whether it comes from the left or the right, and I will stand up to anyone who tries to convince the Legislature that they should spend most or all of this money on ongoing expenses."

Of course, by the time the budget was passed, all the money had been spent on ongoing expenses. Republicans wanted big tax cuts and Democrats wanted increased spending on social programs.

This bit of history is important because California politicians are doing their level best to rewrite it. Davis blames the stock market, the economy and just about everyone but himself for the problem. The state Democratic Party chairman, Art Torres, offered a wholly fictitious rationale on national television last week that post-Sept. 11 security expenses were to blame. And Republicans blame Democrats for overspending while sidestepping their advocacy of billions of dollars in tax cuts.